Sea Zero

For an emission-free future

Inspired by possibility

Channelling the same pioneering spirit as our first voyage in 1893, we are embarking on a journey to build our first fully zero-emission ship for The Coastal Express by 2030. It is the most ambitious sustainability initiative in our 130-year history. 

To reach Sea Zero, we are partnering with science-institute SINTEF to explore exciting, state-of-the-art solutions in energy efficiency and battery electric power. 

The world’s most energy-efficient cruise ship

We’re excited to unveil early concept designs for our first zero-emission ship. The design features:

  • Large 60MWh battery bank
  • Retractable wind and solar sails
  • Enhanced A.I. assisted manoeuvring
  • Underwater air lubrication
  • Hydrodynamic retractable thrusters  
  • Smart cabins with real-time energy monitoring
Our next-generation ship Our next-generation ship
Hedda Felin, Hurtigruten Norway CEO, stands in front of a Hurtigruten ship on the Norwegian Coast.
Photo: Espen Mills

Our vision for Sea Zero

Hedda Felin, CEO of Hurtigruten Norway, explains what our goal of Sea Zero means: 

“The Coastal Express has sailed the Norwegian coast for 130 years. For us to sail for 130 years more, we need to change the way we sail.

We are now upgrading our entire fleet and cutting CO2 emissions by 25%. Still, for our precious nature and for future generations, we have to do more.

It will require a lot of hard work, a lot of investment, and a lot of collaboration with very clever partners. But I know we’ll get there.”

Hedda Felin, Hurtigruten Norway CEO, stands in front of a Hurtigruten ship on the Norwegian Coast.
Photo: Espen Mills
Hurtigruten Norway ship sailing in Raftsundet, Northern Norway. The water is turquoise, and the peaks are covered in snow.
Photo: Trym Ivar Bergsmo

Starting from home

We’re proud to launch Sea Zero on and for the Norwegian coast. This is our home.  

It is the ideal location for developing new zero-emission ships thanks to Norway’s strong political will to support sustainable shipping, alongside future infrastructure for green energy. 

Sailing these shores and fjords since 1893, we as The Coastal Express also have a long heritage of working closely with leading research institutions and innovative ship design companies, giving us the confidence to set Sea Zero as our goal. 

Hurtigruten Norway ship sailing in Raftsundet, Northern Norway. The water is turquoise, and the peaks are covered in snow.
Photo: Trym Ivar Bergsmo

Advancing hybrid electric technology

Even though our goal is zero emissions, we are doing what we can with the ships and the technology we have today.

That’s why we’ve invested €100 million into green upgrades for our existing fleet of seven ships, including transforming three ships to use hybrid electric power. By 2024, these changes will have cut CO2 emissions by 25% and NOx emissions by 80%.

While hybrid electric power allows ships to switch to electric batteries and be emission-free for a few hours, Sea Zero will go further and allow our ships to be fully emission-free, not just for a few hours, but always.

 

Green upgrades

Learn more about our greener fleet
Three scientists sit together at a table
Photo: Shutterstock

Scientific solutions

To meet the challenges of Sea Zero, we are excited to work with SINTEF, one of Europe’s largest independent research organizations.

“The research and development behind the Sea Zero concept will demonstrate that zero-emission technology is also available for relatively large vessels and will mark the end of fossil-fueled coastal shipping.”

Gunnar Malm Gamlem, Project Manager, SINTEF Ocean

About our Sea Zero partners About our Sea Zero partners
Three scientists sit together at a table
Photo: Shutterstock

Charting a course to Sea Zero

For our journey to zero-emission ships by 2030, SINTEF collaborated with us to carry out a feasibility study in the summer of 2022. It revealed that to achieve Sea Zero for The Coastal Express, our new ships need to reach new standards in energy efficiency and primarily use sustainable electric energy, combined with small volumes of climate-neutral back-up fuel. The next phase is to collaborate with other partners to explore these solutions further and to qualify precisely how these measures can contribute to our overall goal of sustainability and zero emissions.

The study first analyzed the following factors of our ships:

  • Passenger safety
  • Energy-use heat map
  • Cargo and crew
  • Operational schedule
  • Ship maneuverability
  • Wave and wind statistics

The study also outlined how sailing emission-free along the coast presents unique challenges that require pioneering solutions.

All innovations must:

  • Put safety first
  • Ensure uninterrupted service to all 34 ports
  • Overcome design limitations for docking at small ports
  • Establish infrastructure for electric power and climate-neutral fuels from sustainable sources

The feasibility study found three reasons why and how our future ships will be fully electric vessels, equipped with batteries that are charged with renewable energy when in port.

  1. A power train with batteries, cables, and electric propulsion motors takes advantage of 90% of the available energy, compared to just 45–50% in a conventional diesel engine

  2. Norwegian electricity from hydropower has a CO2 footprint of around 10 g/kWh, compared to the European average of 230 and the global average of 475 g/kWh

  3. The consistency and reliability of our route, as demonstrated over decades, means we could incorporate in-dock charging for our ships at around half of the ports along our route.

Beyond zero greenhouse gas emissions, all solutions must be sustainable in every aspect, including emissions into the sea and the use, sourcing, and recycling of materials.

As only 1/7 of the global energy today is renewable, and energy is becoming an even more scarce resource, energy efficiency will be a pillar of our Sea Zero project. SINTEF’s scientists and engineers will examine all the systems and equipment in the new ship design to make sure each uses the lowest amount of energy possible.

The feasibility study identified nearly 50 areas and innovations that will significantly reduce energy consumption across aspects such as:

  • Hydrodynamics
  • Aerodynamics
  • Propulsion
  • Machinery
  • Insulation
  • Ventilation
  • Heat exchange

The technologies SINTEF identified as promising in the feasibility study will now be explored further with our industry partners. Together, we will discover the positive effects of each measure on our shared goal of Sea Zero.

Come aboard

Are you as excited as we are about Sea Zero? If you’re a company, organization, research institute, or government agency who would like to know more about Sea Zero and how you can get involved, please contact us.

All inquiries:
[email protected]

Project and research:
Ada Rødland, HRN Project Manager, Sea Zero
[email protected]

PR and public affairs:
Martin Henriksen, Head of Sustainability and Public Affairs
[email protected]

A captain steers the boat. He is on the bridge of one of Hurtigruten’s ships.
Photo: Agurtxane Concellon